Stapling machines



Nov. 20, 1956 P. ELZER EI'AL 2,770,805

STAPLING MACHINES Filed Feb, 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 20, 1956 P. ELZER ET AL 2,770,805

STAPLING MACHINES .Ei'led Feb. 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet jiion 7.

Nov. 20, 1956 P ELZER EIAL 2,770,805 sTAPtlINc MACHINES Filed Feb.- 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet s 12 g. 21

'Nov. 20, 1956 P. ELZER ETAL STAPLING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed "3 b. 25; 1955 Nov. 20, 1956 Filed Feb. 25,' 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 36. I l 47 I I l J mmvrom- 45 l BY i wmwa L dame Mflnny C ,LQaVLUL flliarney United States Patent STAPLING MACHINES Philip Elzer, Rudolf Sommerfeld, and Theodore Anthony, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application February 25, 1955, Serial No. 490,586

4 Claims. (Cl. 1--101) This invention relates to stapling machines and more particularly to a power driven stapling machine for attaching several papers together by setting one or more staples through them.

The method of attaching several paper together by means of staples is relatively old and numerous apparatuses have been proposed for performing this operation. Manual setting of staples in a group of papers is well known but has many objectionable features. Manual setting is slow and frequently results in the staple being imperfectly set. At times it is impossible to force a staple to penetrate the bundle of papers to be connected together when manual staplers are used. Power driven stapling devices have been heretofore proposed but they too are subject to many objections. Generally they must be adjusted to various bundle thickness and are accordingly not sutficiently versatile for general use. Many such power driven devices continue to feed staples unless the papers are immediately withdrawn from the device as soon as the first staple is set.

The stapling device of this invention avoids all of these objectionable features of prior art structures and provides a power driven stapler which will rapidly and positively drive and set staples through bundles of papers of varying thicknesses. The device of this invention is so constructed that uncontrolled repetition of the driving stroke is avoided while at the same time extremely rapid controlled stapling is provided.

In general the power driven stapler of this invention comprises a base having a frame mounted thereon, upper and lower drive members pivoted in slots in the frame,

adjustable connecting means connecting one end of each drive member to one end of the other drive member,

resilient means on the frame cooperating to force the other unconnected ends of the two drive members apart, drive means on one of said unconnected ends and cooperating anvil means on the other unconnected end, cam means pivoted in the frame and engaging one of the drive members whereby upon a complete rotation of the cam means, the drive means and anvil means are first brought together and then separated thereby setting a staple between them, electrically actuated power means on the base operatively connected to the cam for rotating said cam, a movable abutment adjacent the drive means and anvil means for contacting a group of papers to be stapled and contactor means for introducing an electrical current to the power means when a group of papers to be stapled is brought into contact with the abutment and for interrupting the current when the cam has made a complete rotation. The upper drive member is held in position by a resiliently mounted saddle at the pivotal point whereby varying thicknesses of paper may be stapled without adjusting the device.

The structure of the staplerof this invention will be more clearly understood by referring to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus of this invention showing the enclosing case in section.

Pa'tentecl Nov. 20, 1956 Figure 2 is a partial side elevation of the drive mechan-ism of the invention showing the enclosing case in section.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a section .on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a section taken through the shaft of Fig. 7.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the paper actuated switch of the device.

Figure 10 is a generally diagrammatic showing of the electrical circuit of the device.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the paper actuating switch assembly of the device of this invention.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary side elevation, same as Figure l with the exception that the cam, the beams and the anvil are in stapling position.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary side elevation, same as Figure 2 with the exceptionthat the cam, the beams and the anvil are in stapling position.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a frame 10 made up of a pair of spaced apart side members 11 separated by spacing and connecting members 12. This frame is mounted between a base plate 14 and an end plate 15 and is surrounded by an enclosing case 16. A pair of beams 17 on the opposite sides of the frame 10 are mounted on a shaft 18 in bearing block 31 which passes through slots 19 in the side members 11 and beneath a saddle member 20. The saddle member is pressed against the bearing block 31 by .a pair of springs 21 which rest in the wells 22 in the saddle member 20 and against a backing block 23 attached to the side members 11 across the slots 19 therein. One end of each of the beams 17 is slotted to engage a pin 24 which passes through vertical slots 25 in the side members 11 of the frame and is fixed to a reciprocable drive block 26 mounted in a channel 27 between the side members 11, a front spacing member 12 and a guide member 28. A staple driver 29 is fastened to the drive block 26 to reciprocate with the block through a slot 30 between the front spacing member 12 and the end of the guide member 28. Staples 32 are delivered to the driver 29 by a spring loaded finger 33 which moves along a track 34 terminating adjacent the driver 29 in the well-known manner. Staples 32 are loaded in a magazine 32 constituting a rectangular opening in the frame of the machine, the strips of staples being superposed one upon the other and feed by gravity downward to position as each strip is used up. The magazine is formed by the side members 11, and the spacing and connecting members 12 as shown in Figure 4.

A second pair of beams 35 on opposite sides of the frame 10 are mounted on a shaft 36 which passes through a generally triangular opening in the frame and projects beyond each of the beams 35 to form stub shafts upon which are mounted anti-friction cam rollers 37. One end of each of the beams 35 is connected to a pin 38 which is slidable in slots 39 in the side frame and is connected to reciprocable anvil 40. The opposite ends of the beams 35 are pivotally connected to an adjustable connecting rod 41 which connects them to the end of beams 17 opposite the drive block 26. Adjustment of the connecting rod is providedby forming it in two pieces, one of which is slotted to receive adjustably a screw which is threaded in the other. The staple driver 29 and anvil 40 are urged apart by springs 42 at the connecting rod end of the first set of beams 17 and springs 43 at the .anvil end of the second set of beams 35.

The stapler is driven by an electric motor 44*connected 3 1 to a worm shaft 45 which drives a wormwheel 4S mounted on a cam shaft 46 having mounted thereon drive cams 47 and control cams 48 and 48 The drive earns 47 rotate in contact with the cam rollers 37 on the shaft 36 to drive the two sets of beams 17 and 35. The control cams 48 and 48 formed of insulating material, actuate contactor arms 49 and 50 on opposite sides of the frame to control the input of electrical energy into the motor 44.

In operating the stapler of this invention the connecting rod 41 is adjusted to give the desired degree of pressure between the staple driver 29 and anvil 40. A group of papers to be stapled is inserted between the staple driver 29 and anvil 40 into an opening 51 in the frame members 10, and against a yielding abutment 52. The abutment 52 is mounted in a carrier 53 slidablc in the opening 51 so as to regulate the depth to which the papers may be inserted before stapling takes place. A pivoted contactor member 54 is mounted in the carrier so as to be moved from one position to a second position by the movement of the abutment 52. Before the switch 55 in the electrical line is closed the circuit is as shown in Figure 10. When switch 55 is closed, the electrical current flows through line 56, the contactor member 54, line 57 into a relay coil 58, line 62, contactor members 50 and into line 59, thereby energizing the relay coil 58 and drawing the normally open relay contactors 60 and 61 into closed position. With contactor 60 in closed position the current divides between two parallel circuits, part following the path described in the preceding sentence and part flowing from line 56 through contactor 60 and relay coil 58 into line 62 and out through contactors 50 and line 59. When papers are inserted in the opening 5 1 and strike the abutient 52, the contactor 54 is moved to a position where it opens contacts 54 and permits current to flow from line 56 through line 63, by-passlng contactors 49 and through the relay contactor 61 into the motor 44 which is hereby energized. The motor then drives the cam shaft 46 carrying the cams 47, 48, and 48 As the cam 48 rotates, its cam surface closes the contactor 49 which in turn causes the current to by-pass the contactor 54. The cam surface of cam 48 then opens the normally closed contactor 50 which deenergizes the relay coil 58 and permits the relay contactors 60 and 61 to open thereby cutting off current supplied to the motor 44. The motor continuing to rotate by reasons of its own momentum, carries the cam surfaces of cams 48 and 48 out of contact with contactors 49 and 50 until it is brought to a stop by a brake 64. The relay coil 58 remains deenergized until the stapled papers are removed from contact with abutment 52, permitting contactor 54 to drop and close the circuit from line 56 to line 57. This prevents the continuous feeding and driving staples. While the rotation of the cam shaft is causing the above changes in the electrical circuit it is also actuating the stapling mechanism. As the cam shaft 46 rotates it causes the cam surfaces of cam 47 to act against the cam rollers 37 thereby lifting the beams 35 and anvil 4i) and at the same time through connecting rod 41 exerting a lifting force against one end of beams 17. The lifting force in the end of beams 17 causes the staple driver 29 to be depressed carrying a staple before it to be set on the anvil 40. When the high point of the cam surface on cam 47 has passed out of contact with the cam rollers 37 the cam surfaces 48 and 48 act on contactors 49 and 50 to stop the motor 44 as described above. The relative position of the cams 47, 48 and 48 with respect to each other can be readily ascertained by referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

Varying thicknesses of bundles of papers are successfully accommodated by reason of the fact that the springs 21' and saddle 20 permit the pivotal point of beams 17 to rise as the thickness of the papers to be stapled increases.

While we have illustrated a preferred embodiment of this invention, it will be understood that it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A power driven stapling machine comprising a base,

a frame on said base, upper and lower drive members on separate shafts, said shafts being intermediate the ends of the drive members and rotatable and rcciprocabl c in slots in the frame, adjustable connecting means connecting one end of each drive member to one end of the other drive member, separate resilient means on the frame acting on each drive member to force the other unconnected ends of the two drive members apart, a staple driver mounted on one of said unconnected ends, cooperating anvil means on the other unconnected end, cam means rotatably mounted in the frame and engaging one of the drive members at its shaft whereby upon complete rotation of the cam means the shaft is raised and lowered and the staple driver and anvil are brought together and then separated thereby setting a staple placed between them, electrically actuated power means on the base operatively connected to the cam for rotating the cam, a movable abutment adjacent the staple driver and anvil means for contacting a group of papers to be stapled and contactor means for introducing an electrical current to the power means when a group of papers to be stapled is brought into contact with the abutment and current interrupting means for interrupting the current when the cam means has made a complete rotation.

2. A power driven stapling machine comprising a base, a frame on said base, upper and lower drive members on separate shafts, said shafts being intermediate the ends of the drive members and rotatable and reciprocablc in slots in the frame, yieldable saddle means tending to hold the upper drive member at the point of the slot nearest the lower drive member, adjustable connecting means connecting one end of each drive member to one end of the other, separate resilient means on the frame acting on each drive member to force the other unconnected ends of the drive members apart, a staple driver on one of said unconnected ends, cooperating anvil means on the other unconnected end, rotating cam means journaled in the frame and engaging one of the drive members whereby upon complete rotation of the cam means the staple driver and anvil are brought together and then separated thereby setting a staple placed between them, electrically actuated power means on the base operatively connected to the cam for rotating the cam, and switch means between a. source of electrical current and the power means, said switch means being actuated when a group of papers to be stapled is brought between the anvil means and the staple driver.

3. A stapling machine as claimed in claim 2 in which the switch means for supplying an electrical current to the power means comprises a movable abutment adjacent the staple driver and anvil means, contactor means actuated by the abutment means whereby when the abutment is moved by contact of the papers current is carried to the power means, second contactor means actuated by a contactor cam. on the cam means driven by the power means whereby the current carried to the power means is interrupted when the cam means has made a complete revolution and means for preventing current from reaching the power means after the second contactor has been actuated until the abutment returns to its original posi tion upon removal of the papers.

4. A power driven stapling machine comprising a base, a frame on said base, spaced upper and lower drive members on separate shafts, said shafts being intermediate the ends of the drive members and rotatable and reciprocable in slots in the frame, yieldable saddle means bearing on one said shaft urging the shaft and associated drive member toward the other shaft and drive member, adjustable connecting means connecting one end of each drive member to the other drive member, resilient means on the frame actingon one end of one of said drive members to urge the unconnected ends of the drive members apart,

second resilent means acting on the otherdrive member to urge the unconnected ends of the drive members apart, a staple driver on one of said unconnected ends, cooperating anvil means on the other unconnected end, rotating cam means journaled in the frame and engaging one of the drive members whereby upon complete rotation of the cam means the drive head and anvil are sequentially brought together and then separated thereby setting a staple placed between them, electrically actuated power means on the frame operatively connected to the cam for rotating the cam, and switch means between a source of electrical current and the power means, said switch means being actuated when a group of papers to be stapled is brought between the anvil means and the staple driver.

UNITED STATES PATENTS West et al Mar. 18, Bean Nov. 6, Briggs Apr. 16, Svenson Dec. 26, Polzer May 6, Svenson Feb. 10, Jonassen Sept. 14, Oussani July 16, Taylor Mar. 14, Sernler June 30, Nardone Sept. 1, 

